The latest version of Google Analytics (GA), Google Analytics 4, is now live. As we move into 2022, it’s essential to understand how this update affects our reporting capabilities. To help make sense of things, here are some frequently asked questions about Google Analytics 4.
What is Google Analytics 4?
This release includes features that simplify tracking across multiple devices, including mobile apps, desktops, laptops, tablets, smart TVs, wearables, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In addition, there are improvements to the event tracking functionality, such as the ability to track events without requiring any extra code. Finally, there are enhancements to the user flow report, which help identify visitor paths throughout your site.
Why Should I Transition to Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics 4 is an extension to Google Tag Manager. With it, you’ll gain access to all the latest features of Google Analytics, including Custom Dimensions, Enhanced Ecommerce, Audience Insights, and Attribution. You’ll also be able to use some of the new data sources available via Universal Analytics.
Transitioning to GA4 allows you to take advantage of the new features available to us. For example, you’ll be able to set up Custom Dimensions and Enhanced Ecommerce without having to install anything else. And with Universal Analytics, you’ll no longer have to worry about setting up tracking parameters for each site.
Should I Set Up Google Analytics 4 for a New Website?
Google Analytics 4 is an updated edition of Google Analytics 3. If you already have Google Analytics installed on your site, you can keep using it until June 2023 without making any changes.
If you’re creating a new website, the question of whether to use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or GA3 should be your first choice. The difference between the two is significant and will affect how Google sees your site.
Here are the differences:
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tracks all sessions, not just sessions initiated by a user (such as when they type in your URL). This means it can track visitors who don’t land on your site directly and then go back later to revisit.
Google Analytics 4 allows for more advanced features such as custom reports and exporting of data.
If you have existing websites that have been tracking with GA3, we recommend changing that over to GA4 so that all visitors are tracked correctly.
Will I Still Be Able To See My Historical Universal Analytics Data?
Universal Analytics is great because it gives you one view into how customers behave across devices, channels, and locations. But what happens once you reach the end of your GA account? Will you still be able to see your historical data?
The answer is yes, for now until July 2023. After that date, you’ll no longer be able to access your historic data unless you upgrade to another plan. If you’re looking to move forward with your digital marketing strategy, we recommend upgrading to our Enterprise Plan.
In addition to accessing historical data, you’ll also be able to keep track of your performance metrics even after you’ve reached the end of your GA subscription. For example, you might want to compare the performance of different campaigns over time to make adjustments accordingly.
Is Google Analytics 4 free?
Yes, GA4 is entirely free. The number of properties or users does not limit it. You can install as many properties as you want. And you can use it for as many users as you wish.
Google Analytics is what they call a “freemium” service, meaning that it’s free, but you pay for more features. Google Analytics 360 will cost you 150,000 dollars a year.
However, the standard, free version of Google Analytics for small-medium businesses usually provide enough insight to get started.
The free version of Google Analytics includes the following notable tools:
- Real-Time Data
- Custom Reporting
- Advanced Segmentation
- Flow Visualisation
- Social Reporting
- Conversion Reporting
- Mobile Device & App Tracking
- Video Performance Measurement
- Multi-Channel Reporting
- Integration with AdWords, AdSense, Search Console, and DoubleClick AdExchange
- Data Export & Tracking API
Limitations of the standard version of Google Analytics
- Data Volume Capacity: Up to 10 million Hits per month
- Max Data Rows: 50,000 rows
- Custom Variables: 5 slots
- Custom Dimensions and Metrics: 20 of each
- Data Freshness: 24+ hours
You can view information about how many visitors came to your site, where they came from, what devices they used, and how long they stayed on it. With the acquisition component, you can see how much money you’ve spent on advertising and marketing campaigns. And the behaviour section allows you to analyse how people navigate around your site. Finally, reporting lets, you generate charts and graphs to show off your data.
If you don’t mind paying for additional features, you can opt for the premium version of Google Analytics (Google Analytics 360), which costs 150,000 dollars a year. This package gives you access to even more metrics and deeper insights into your site’s performance.
Can you run Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics at the same time?
You can install GA4 alongside Universal Analytics, and they’ll collect data simultaneously. However, you can’t use the two tools side by side. They are entirely different products. To use them together, you must upgrade one product and then upgrade the second product later.
In June 2023, GA3 will stop collecting data, and it won’t be updated anymore. This means you should start planning how to manage your analytics data collection.
If you’re already running GA3, you can continue to use it. However, you’ll lose access to features that require GA3, such as custom reports and real-time dashboards.
The new version of GA4 looks very similar to the current version. The main difference is that it doesn’t support mobile devices. It will no longer collect traffic from iOS and Android apps and will no longer show app installs.
GA4 will also change the way it displays events. Instead of showing each event individually, it will display the most recent ten events. So, it is better if you’ve installed GA4 even if you aren’t ready for the switch quite yet.
What is the difference between Google Analytics 4 and the old Google Analytics?
The most notable difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics is that GA4 enables you to report on activity on both websites and applications. With Universal Analytics, you can only report on website activity.
Other differences include:
- Google Analytics 4 Has a New Dashboard
- All Measurements Are Events in GA4
- GA4 has a range of Engagement Metrics
- Engaged sessions
- Engagement rate
- Engagement time
- Access to Predictive Insights
- Most importantly, Google Analytics 4 can track the analytics of both websites and applications, while the old GA can track only website analytics.
For an overview of the difference between Universal Analytics and GA4, read this blog – Universal Analytics (GA3) Vs. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) – (https://www.webplanners.com.au/blog/google-analytics/universal-analytics-ga3-vs-google-analytics-4-ga4)
How Do I Know Which Version Of Google Analytics Is Right For Me?
While the capabilities of Google 360 are impressive, Google Analytics remains the most famous tool used by web admins. The good news is that both products offer similar functionality. However, there are differences between the two. Below we will discuss the main differences between Google Analytics and Google 360.
Differences Between Google Analytics And Google 360
Google Analytics
- Provides basic analytics services such as page views, bounce rate, time spent on pages, etc.
- Supports multiple platforms including desktop, tablet, and mobile.
- Offers detailed insights into user behavior.
- Allows users to create custom dashboards.
- Has an easy-to-use interface.
- Works well with other marketing tools.
Google Analytics 360 if for websites that has
- Data Volume Capacity: Up to 10 million Hits per month
- Max Data Rows: 50,000 rows
- Custom Variables: 5 slots
- Custom Dimensions and Metrics: 20 of each
Should I Switch To Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics 4 offers many new features including Audience Insights; Custom Events; Real Time Reporting, and Enhanced Ecommerce. This tool allows you to see how customers use your site, what events happen on your website, and what products sell best. You can even view real-time data like traffic sources, conversions, and goals.
The new version of Google Analytics includes several improvements over previous versions. For example, it now supports multiple domains and subdomains. It also provides better support for mobile devices, allowing you to track different device types separately.
There are some things you might want to consider before switching to GA4. First, make sure you know exactly what information you want to collect. If you don’t already have good analytics software, you’ll probably want to start there. Second, keep an eye out for compatibility issues. Third, make sure you’re ready to upgrade your code. Finally, test everything thoroughly before rolling it out live.
If you decide to switch to Google Analytics 4, here are tips to help you along the way:
- Make Sure Your Code Is Up To Date
Make sure you update your code to reflect the latest changes in GA4. When updating your code, check the documentation to ensure everything is covered.
- Test Everything Before Going Live
How To Set Up GA4?
Connecting a new data stream to Google Analytics is easy if you already had an existing property setup. In fact, it’s even easier now because there are fewer steps involved. If you want to connect another property to GA, you just need to follow these simple instructions.
You can access your UA view via the Admin Panel. This allows you to see exactly how many visits each channel gets, what devices people use, and where they come from. You can also see how much traffic each channel receives, how long visitors spend on the site, and what percentage of those visits convert into sales.
Setting up a new property is simpler than ever before. There are no longer separate fields required for different channels. Instead, you simply add one field per channel. For example, let’s say you want to track mobile app downloads.
All you need to do is enter the following information:
- Channel Name – App Store
- Page Title – My App
- Description – A description of your app goes here.
- The rest of the fields are optional.
To know further what has changed with Google Analytics 4, click here. (link to Sub-blog-1)
Should I Switch to Google Analytics 4 Now?
Google Analytics 4 is here, and it brings some big changes. If you’re already using Universal Analytics, there’s no reason to switch now. But if you haven’t been using Universal Analytics, don’t worry—you won’t miss anything important. Here are three things to know about GA4.
- You’ll Lose Access To Some Advanced Metrics
The most significant change in GA4 is that you’ll lose access to several advanced metrics. These include custom dimensions, goal conversion tracking, and event tracking. This isn’t a deal breaker, though. All of those metrics still work just fine in Universal Analytics.
- Your Data Will Still Be Collected
GA4 doesn’t collect any additional information or affect how much data is collected. In fact, the only thing that changes is how it collects the data. Instead of sending anonymous traffic reports to Google, GA4 sends a unique identifier to Google. This way, you can see exactly what your visitors do once they land on your site.
- You Can Keep Using Other Third Party Tools
Universal Analytics works excellent with tools like CrazyEgg, SumoMe, and Optimizely. They all work just fine with GA4. So you can keep using those tools while you transition to GA4.
Why is Google Analytics 4 so hard to use?
It is the customisation that can make it difficult to understand. It may seem not very clear and takes time to learn. However, once you get the hang of it, it will be worth every minute spent learning it.
How can Webplanners help?
It is challenging to turn all of that data into actionable steps. The good news is that you can easily export your data from UA to GA4. We can help you migrate your Universal Analytics data to your Google Analytics 4 account. That means you can continue to use other analytics tools as well.
We are a Melbourne-based SEO agency offering Google Analytics Consulting services. Our team of experts will help you get the data from your Google Analytics account that you need to make informed decisions to drive your marketing plan.
If you have questions about Google Analytics 4 or would like more help, please get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Webplanners can help you identify and act on the data that matters most to your business.
Suggested Read: Universal Analytics (GA3) Vs. Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
